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A short afternoon for Highland's softball team
The University of Notre Dame's football team has "Touchdown Jesus," the catchy nickname for the giant on-campus painting of Jesus Christ with his arms in the air.
In Tuesday's softball game at Highland, Notre Dame Academy could have used the assistance of their own "Grand Slam Jesus" — several times over.
Minus any divine intervention, the Dragons (0-1 overall) had no chance against Highland's juggernaut squad. The Hawks (3-3) cruised to a 17-0 victory, in a game ended after four innings by the mercy rule.
"About the same as we beat them last year," said Highland coach Donald O'Meara, referencing the Hawks' 20-0 victory at Notre Dame in 2007. "We weren't trying to run up the score or anything like that."
Junior Morgan Stephens capped the victory, launching a three-run home run — her first as a Hawk — into the fence-less Bradley Elementary outfield.
Stephens also combined with Maire Shaughnessy for an abbreviated no-hitter. Shaughnessy pitched the first three innings, striking out eight, and Stephens completed the fourth.
Shaughnessy legged out a home run as well. Her four-bagger came on a shot to the right-centerfield gap, as she easily raced home.
"Good cardio when that happens," Shaughnessy joked of not being able to trot around the bases. "It works the same."
That homer made it 6-0 in the second inning, and marked the first time anyone had “touched them all” at Highland's new park.
The Hawks will play four games at Bradley, just a stone's throw away from Highland. That is not a huge home slate — but a definite improvement after the Hawks had to travel for every game last season.
"It's real nice to be at home," O'Meara said. 'We had a nice crowd, and it shows the type of support Highland has for softball."
Highland will not see its friendly confines again until April 23 against Culpeper.
In the meantime, the Hawks will face some stout competition on the road.
Highland — the defending state VISAA Division II champions — plays at Rappahannock, a doubleheader at powerful Turner Ashby, at Robinson and at Culpeper before finally returning home.
"We're going to have to work hard in practice to get ready for those games," O'Meara said.
Those contests will undoubtedly test the Hawks more than Tuesday. But Highland had no complaints after its 17-0 rout — a casual win in front of a supportive home crowd.
"This was kind of a chance for some of the girls who aren't going to be able to play in the tougher games," O'Meara said. "We got everybody in, which was nice."
Highland had a make-up game at St. Anne's Belfield slated for Wednesday, but it was pushed back again. The original meeting, penciled in for March 27, was postponed due to last week's sniper incident on Interstate 64.
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